High power broadband combiner having ferrite cores

Abstract

A signal combiner assembly having a common ground plane and first and second coaxial cable connectors is provided. Each of the first and second coaxial cable connectors includes an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the outer conductors being connected to the common ground plane. First and second coaxial cables, each having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, are also provided. The inner conductor of the first coaxial cable extends between the inner conductor of the first coaxial cable connector and a sum port, while the inner conductor of the second coaxial cable extends between the inner conductor of the second coaxial cable connector and the sum port. The first and second coaxial cables passing through a hole provided in a piece of magnetic material from opposite sides of the hole. Preferably, the piece of magnetic material is formed from a ferrite and takes the shape of a toroid or squaroid.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A signal combiner assembly comprising: 
       a common ground plane;  
       first and second coaxial cable connectors each having inner conductors and outer conductors, the outer conductors being connected to said common ground plane;  
       a sum port;  
       a first coaxial cable having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the inner conductor extending between the inner conductor of said first coaxial cable connector and said sum port;  
       a second coaxial cable having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the inner conductor extending between the inner conductor of said second coaxial cable connector and said sum port;  
       a first dissipater extending between the first ends of the outer conductors of said first and the second coaxial cables;  
       a second dissipater extending between the second ends of the outer conductors of said first and the second coaxial cables;  
       a piece of magnetic material having a hole passing therethrough, said first coaxial cable and said second coaxial cable passing through the hole in said piece of magnetic material from opposite sides of the hole;  
       a third coaxial cable having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the inner conductor extending between a first end of the outer conductor of said first coaxial cable and a second end of the outer conductor of said second coaxial cable, both ends of the outer conductor of said third coaxial cable connected to said common ground plane; and  
       a fourth coaxial cable having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the inner conductor extending between a first end of the outer conductor of said second coaxial cable and a second end of the outer conductor of said first coaxial cable, both ends of the outer conductor of said fourth coaxial cable connected to said common ground plane.  
     
     
       2. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  1  wherein said piece of magnetic material comprises a piece of ferrite. 
     
     
       3. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  1  wherein said piece of magnetic material comprises a piece of magnetic material having the shape of a squaroid. 
     
     
       4. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  1  wherein said piece of magnetic material comprises a piece of magnetic material having the shape of a toroid. 
     
     
       5. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  1  wherein each of the first and the second dissipaters comprises a resistor. 
     
     
       6. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  1  further comprising a first capacitor connected in parallel with said first dissipater and a second capacitor connected in parallel with said second dissipater. 
     
     
       7. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  1  further comprising a first capacitor extending between said sum port and said ground plane, a second capacitor extending between the outer conductor of said first coaxial cable connector, and a third capacitor extending between the outer conductor of said second coaxial cable connector. 
     
     
       8. A signal combiner assembly comprising: 
       a common ground plane;  
       first, second and third coaxial cable connectors, each having inner conductors and outer conductors, the outer conductors being connected to said common ground plane;  
       a sum port connected to the inner conductor of said first coaxial cable connector;  
       a first coaxial cable having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the inner conductor extending between the inner conductor of said second coaxial cable connector and said sum port;  
       a second coaxial cable having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the inner conductor extending between the inner conductor of said third coaxial cable connector and said sum port; and  
       a piece of magnetic material having a hole passing therethrough, said first coaxial cable and said second coaxial cable passing through the hole in said piece of magnetic material from opposite sides of said hole.  
     
     
       9. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  8  further comprising: 
       a first conductor extending between a first end of the outer conductor of the first coaxial cable and a second end of the outer conductor of the second coaxial cable; and  
       a second conductor extending between a first end of the outer conductor of the second coaxial cable and a second end of the outer conductor of the first coaxial cable.  
     
     
       10. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  8  wherein said piece of magnetic material comprises a piece of ferrite. 
     
     
       11. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  10  wherein said piece of ferrite comprises a piece of ferrite having the shape of a squaroid. 
     
     
       12. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  10  wherein said piece of ferrite comprises a piece of ferrite having the shape of a toroid. 
     
     
       13. A signal combiner according to claim  8  further comprising: 
       a first dissipater extending between the first ends of the outer conductors of said first and said second coaxial cables; and  
       a second dissipater extending between the second ends of the outer conductors of said first and said second coaxial cables.  
     
     
       14. A signal combiner according to claim  13  wherein each of the first and the second dissipaters comprise a resistor. 
     
     
       15. A signal combiner assembly comprising: 
       a common ground plane;  
       an input coaxial cable connector having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the outer conductor being connected to said common ground plane;  
       first, second, and third signal combiners, each of said signal combiners comprising:  
       a sum port;  
       first and second output ports;  
       a first coaxial cable having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the inner conductor extending between said first output port and said sum port;  
       a second coaxial cable having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the inner conductor extending between said second output port and said sum port; and  
       a piece of magnetic material having a hole passing therethrough, said first coaxial cable and said second coaxial cable passing through the hole in said piece of magnetic material from opposite sides of said hole;  
       wherein said sum port of said first signal combiner is connected to said input coaxial cable connector;  
       a first impedance transformer connected between the first output port of said first signal combiner and the sum port of said second signal combiner;  
       a second impedance transformer connected between the second output port of said first signal combiner and the sum port of said third signal combiner; and,  
       four output coaxial cable connectors, each having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the outer conductors being connected to said common ground plane, the inner conductor a first of said output connectors being connected to the first output port of said second signal combiner, the inner conductor of a second of said output connectors being connected to the second output port of said second signal combiner, the inner conductor of a third of said output connectors being connected to the first output port of said third signal combiner, and the inner conductor of a fourth of said output connectors being connected to the second output port of said third signal combiner.  
     
     
       16. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  15  wherein each of said signal combiners further comprises: 
       a third coaxial cable having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the inner conductor extending between a first end of the outer conductor of said first coaxial cable and a second end of the outer conductor of said second coaxial cable, both ends of the outer conductor of said third coaxial cable connected to said common ground plane; and  
       a fourth coaxial cable having an inner conductor and an outer conductor, the inner conductor extending between a first end of the outer conductor of said second coaxial cable and a second end of the outer conductor of said first coaxial cable, both ends of the outer conductor of said fourth coaxial cable connected to said common ground plane.  
     
     
       17. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  15  wherein said piece of magnetic material comprises a piece of ferrite. 
     
     
       18. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  15  wherein said piece of ferrite comprises a piece of ferrite having the shape of a squaroid. 
     
     
       19. A signal combiner assembly according to claim  15  wherein said piece of ferrite comprises a piece of ferrite having the shape of a toroid. 
     
     
       20. A signal combiner according to claim  15  wherein each of said signal combiners further comprises: 
       a first dissipater extending between the first ends of the outer conductors of said first and said second coaxial cables; and  
       a second dissipater extending between the second ends of the outer conductors of said first and said second coaxial cables.  
     
     
       21. A signal combiner according to claim  20  wherein each of the first and the second dissipaters comprises a resistor.